Frameless window closure construction



Aug, 11, 11959 A. PETERSON 2,898,989

FRAMELESS WINDOW CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION Filed April 8, 1954 I VINVENTOR 14 leflf pe/ 20042 BY 'f ATTORNEYJ United States Patent 4 2,898,989 FRAMELESS WINDOW CLOSURE CONSTRUCTION Albert Peterson, Saginaw, Mich., assignor to The Columbia Mills, Inc., Syracuse, N.Y.

Application April 8, 1954, Serial No. 421,818 9 Claims. (Cl. 160-329) This invention relates to frameless window screen constnuctions and more particularly to screen constructions which may be tightly secured against the interior faces of conventional casement window frames.

One of the prime objects of the invention is to provide a screen construction of this type which can be securely locked in place from the inside and cannot be readily forced in from the outside.

Another object of the invention is to design a novel frameless screen construction which possesses suflicient resiliency to eliminate the necessity of closely and carefully fitting the screen to the window opening to exclude bugs, flies and other insects, the screen mounting being capable of sufficient stretch where necessary to compensate for errors in the relative positioning of the various elements and in the length of the screen cloth.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen construction which when. in taut, locked engagement against the frame is uniformly tensioned over its entire length and will not be readily damaged by inadvertent blows or the like.

Another object of the invention is to provide a screen construction in which a convenient holddown bracket is provided which is very easy and efiicient in operation and operates to effectively close off a window opening by .drawing the flexible frameless closure tightly against the frame so that insects and the like are prevented from entry.

Still another object of the instant invention'is' to provide a screen construction in which a novel holddown bracket is operable to releasably secure an improved bottom rail of very simple construction in locked position, and which makes unnecessary the previously required auxiliary projecting rail clips or ribs which were engaged by the bracket.

A further object of the invention is to provide a screen construction of neat and pleasing appearance and very simple and practical construction in which all of the various elements, except the screen, can be very economically stamped out in large quantities, thus permitting the mass production manufacture of the component elements with the consequent savings incident thereto.

Still another object of the invention is to design a window screen construction which can be readily in stalled from the inside without the use of ladders or the like and which can be readily demounted and stored when not in service. 7

Another objector the invention is to provide a screen construction in which the bottom rail is inclined out= wardly from the closure member when the latter is freely suspended so that it can be readily grasped when it is desired to move the rail into position to be engaged and actuated by the holddownbracket.

A further object of the invention is to design a screen construction in which the rail engaging member of the holddown bracket is: formed with a cam surface so that the member isautomatically raised to operative position by the bottom raili of' the frameless closure when the latter isswung. inagainstihe window trains.

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A still further object of the invention is to design a frameless window screen construction in which the top and bottom rails are identical and the construction is interchangeable. With the above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawing, and more particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes may be made in the form, size, proportion, and minor details of construction, without departing from the spirit, or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is an interior elevational view showing my frameless window screen mounted on 'a casement window which for convenience is shown as of wood construction.

Fig. 2 is a vertical, sectional View taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. l, the broken lines indicating the screen swung outwardly from the frame and illustrating the inclination of the bottom rail.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, isometric, rear elevational view of the left hand bracket, with the locking lever shown in locked position.

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the lever in raised position.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the bracket and bottom rail with the rail engaging member or plunger broken away to show the fixed body member of the bracket, the broken lines indicating the locked position of the rail and the various elements of the bracket.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawing in which 1 have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention, a letter W generally indicates a casement window which is shown in the instant embodiment of the invention as provided with upper and lower frame members 6 and side frame members 7 formed of wood in the instant illustration for purposes of simplicity, although it will, of course, be understood that these members can be of conventional metal construction as desired.

Vertically adjustable top rail support or clip members C are mounted on the casement frame members 7 adjacent the upper ends thereof to resiliently support the top rail 8 of a frameless window closure 9 which in the instant drawing is a screen, but which could also clearly be a flexible storm window or the like. The members C are formed of a suitably tempered spring steel or other resilient material and include a shank portion 10, and a head portion 11 curved outwardly therefrom and thence reversely, the portion 11 terminating in a concave socket portion 12 which accommodates the top rail 8. The shank portions 10 of the clips C include vertically disposed, slotted openings 13 which accommodate screws 14 for securing the clips in adjusted position. When the screen 9 is pulled downwardly by means which will be presently described clearly, the portion 12 of the clips will be compressed and the screen member 9 will be uniformly tensioned throughout its entire length.

The top rail 3 and bottom rail 15, which in the embodirnent shown are conveniently identical, extend beyond the edges of the screen 9 and comprise elongated, substantially rectilinearly shaped bars. The bars are formed with vertically disposed, inner or rear wall sections 16 which are curved outwardly at a spaced distance from a free edge thereof to form a bead or head 17. The plates forming the bars are thence pressed inwardly as at 18' to grip the free edges of the screen 9 and are thence directed outwardly and parallel with the walls 16 as at 19; the wall sections 19 finally being turned inwardly as at'20 and terminating at the inner or rear wall sections 16.

The lower end of the screen 9 it will be seen, leads into the opening between the free edges of the sections 16 and 20. The closure screen 9 terminates normally a slight distance above the lower frame member 6 and when tensioned by means which will now be described, the clips C are compressed and the screen 9 is elongated and brought into snug engagement with the inner face of the member 6. In a case in which there-may be a sill on the window, the bottom rail could obviously press tight against the upper face thereof.

Each of the identical holddown brackets B which are provided to tension the screen 9 and lock it in tight engagement with the frame members 6 and 7 include a transversely disposed body or frame portion 21 with an upwardly extending ear portion 22 and a laterally turned section 23 which is fixed to the frame members 7 by screws 24 extending through the openings 25 therein. The body portion 21 of each bracket B is vertically slotted as at 26 and a U-shaped rail engaging member or plunger 28 embraces the body 21 and includes a rivet 27 adapted to ride in the slot. The upper end of the member 28 terminates above the rivet 27 in smooth upper edges 29 which are in engagement with a locking lever 30 when the rivet 27 is in the upper end of the slot 26.

The locking lever 30 is eccentrically pivoted on the ear portion 22 as at 31 and is provided with a projecting, bifurcated cam head 32 which engages the edges 29 of the member 28 and operates to move the latter member downwardly when the lever 30 is swung downwardly. The upper outer edges of the member 28 are rounded off as at 32a and the lever 30 is curved at the junction of the head 32 thereof with the handle thereof'as at 33 so that the lever can be swung completely down into engagement with the outer wall of the member 28 as in Fig. 3. The lower outer edges of each member 28 are more extremely rounded off to provide cam edges 34 and an adjoining concave edge or recess 35 is provided shaped to the general contour of the bead 17 on the rail 15 and is adapted to accommodate the same as shown. The members 28 are also provided with projecting stops 36 which engage the edges 37 of the respective lateral sections 23 to prevent upward movement of the members 28 beyond predetermined limits.

The operation of the brackets in releasably locking the screen 9 is best illustrated in Fig. 5 wherein the broken lines indicate the fully locked position of the various component parts. Each member is, of course, also in the lower position indicated in broken lines in Fig. 5 prior to engagement by the rail 15. When the rail 15, which can be very readily grasped since it inclines outwardly from the screen, is swung inwardly, the upper end thereof engages the cam edges 34 and automatically forces the member 28 upwardly until the bead 17 on the rail 15 slips into the recessed edges 35. To lock the screen 9 in taut engagement with the frame members 6 and 7, it is merely necessary to swing the lever 30 downwardly. To release the screen member once again to permit it to be swung outwardly to the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 2, it is, of course, merely necessary to swing the lever 30 upwardly.

In the instant construction, a uniform tension is applied directly to the screen 9 which is stretched into taut engagement with the frame members 6 and 7. In the process of fitting the screen construction to the sash members, if the holddown brackets B are mounted in a lower position than they should be relative to the bottom rail 8 or the screen 9 is cut a bit too short for the window opening, the resilience of the top rail supports C compensates for the errors in fitting.

It will thus be apparent that I have perfected a very practical screen construction for closing a window or like opening which can be very readily secured in locked position and released therefrom. It is to be understood that various equivalent changes may be made in the various elements which comprise the device to accomplish similar results without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

7 frame, and locking means on the lower end What I claim is:

1. In a frameless window closure construction for application to a frame with a window opening therein, a frameless window closure including a top rail and a bottom rail, top rail support means mounted adjacent one end of said frame, said support means comprising relatively compressible brackets of. resilient material, each of which is fixed to said frame at its bottom end and thence has a section leading therefrom laterally outwardly and thence leading reversely inwardly to said frame at a spaced distance vertically from said outwardly turned section to form a vertically compressible portion, said reversely leading portion terminating in a top rail accommodating socket free to flex vertically relative to the frame upon compression of said compressible portion, and locking means mounted adjacent the opposite end of said frame engageable with said bottom rail to stretch said closure and compress said compressible portion and thereby apply a uniform tension in a vertical direction to said support means and window closure and lock said closure in snug engagement with said frame.

2. In combination with a substantially vertically disposed frameless window closure mounted on a window frame and having a bottom rail thereon, a holddown bracket on the window frame comprising a body portion, a lever pivotally mounted thereon, a rail actuating plunger separate from said lever and connected only to said body portion vertically movable on said body portion relative to said lever in a substantially linear path, a pin and slot connection between said plunger and body portion controlling movement of said plunger on said body portion, said lever pivotally mounted on said body portion comprising a lever handle with a cam head thereon eccentric in a vertical plane and adjacent an upper surface of said plunger remote from the rail to force the same downwardly to lock said window closure in taut engagemnt with said frame.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which the upper outer edge of said plunger is rounded olf and said lever is recessed at the juncture of the cam head thereon and handle portion thereof to facilitate swing of said lever downwardly into flush engagement with said plunger.

4. The combination defined in claim 2 in which stops on said plunger engage said body portion to limit upward movement of said plunger thereon.

5. In a frameless window closure construction mounted on a frame with a window opening therein, a flexible, frameless window closure including a top rail, at least one relatively deformable bracket of resilient material mounted adjacent the upper end of said frame for supporting the top rail, said bracket having a section fixed to the frame and a resilient depressible rail supporting section having a portion extending outwardly therefrom away from the frame and thence being turned reversely to the outwardly extending portion toward the frame and terminating in a resilient portion adjacent the frame free to be depressed in a vertical direction relative to the of the frame for applying a downward pull on the closure depressing said rail supporting section and thereby holding the closure and bracket in uniform tension and in snug engagement with the frame.

6. In combination with a frameless window closure mounted on a window frame and having a bottom rail, a holddown bracket on the window frame comprising a fixed body, a rail actuating member slidable vertically on said body, one of said bottom rail and said rail actuating member having a recess, and the other having a portion receivable in said recess, a downwardly and inwardly inclined cam surface on said vertically slidable member moving said member upwardly when the bottom rail is swung inwardly into engagement with the cam surface to guide the said portion into the recess, and means on said body for forcing said actuating member downwardly and locking it in position, thereby tensioning said closure to hold it in tight engagement with said window frame.

7. In a frameless window closure construction mounted on a frame with a window opening therein; a flexible, frameless window closure including a top rail; bracket means having at least one relatively deformable portion of resilient material, mounted adjacent the upper end of said frame for supporting the top rail, said bracket means having a section fixed to the frame and a resilient, depressible rail supporting section with a portion extending outwardly away from the frame and a portion turned reversely and extending toward the frame terminating in a resilient portion free to be depressed in a vertical direction relative to the frame; and locking means on the lower end of the frame for applying a downward pull on the closure, depressing said rail supporting section and thereby holding the closure in uniform tension and in snug engagement with the frame.

8. A fIameless window screen including: top and bottom rails; a sheet of screen material fastened at its upper and lower edges to said top and bottom rails, respectively; spring members adapted to be mounted on a window frame for engaging the lower edge of said top rail for resiliently supporting said top rail in slidable contact with the window frame; each of said spring member having an end portion adapted to be fastened to said window frame, an outwardly bowed portion joined to said end portion, and an end portion ofiset from said bowed portion toward said frame for supporting said top rail; and clamping members adapted to be secured to said window frame below said spring members operable for engaging the upper edge of said bottom rail and moving said top and bottom rails downwardly against the action of said spring members to a position maintaining said sheet in tensioned engagement with the window frame.

9. In a window closure construction mounted on a window frame with a window opening therein; a window closure including a top rail; bracket means having at least one relatively deformable portion of resilient material mounted adjacent the upper end of said frame for supporting the window closure; said bracket means having a section fixed to the frame, and a resilient, depressible rail supporting section supported from the section fixed to the frame, having a first portion extending outwardly away from the frame, and a second portion turned reversely and extending toward the frame terminating in a free end portion from Which said top rail is supported with the resilient section free to be depressed in a vertical direction relative to the frame; and means at the lower end of the window frame for releasably holding said closure in the vertically suspended position which it assumes with deformation of said depressible rail supporting section.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain July 29, 

